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Padres shoot AJ Puk, pushes Diamondbacks to brink of elimination

Vaseline 1 month ago

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AJ Puk turned and followed the flight of the ball, his hands on his hips in disbelief. Moments later, he again watched a ball sail into the seats in left field.

Of all the ways the Diamondbacks could have suffered a potentially crippling loss on Saturday night, this was perhaps the most shocking, as Puk, the best reliever in baseball over the past three months, served up back-to-back home runs.

The Diamondbacks managed just two hits as they squandered another opportunity to move closer to a wild-card spot, losing 5-0 to the San Diego Padres, who rested several of their top players and started a pitcher they had just called up . of Triple A.

The Diamondbacks’ loss, their fifth in the past six games, further diminishes their chances but doesn’t eliminate them from the wild-card race, not when the New York Mets also lost Friday and Saturday in Milwaukee.

The Diamondbacks have one game left this season, their Sunday finale against the Padres. The Mets and Braves each play separate games on Sunday, then face each other in a doubleheader on Monday in Atlanta.

The Diamondbacks (88-73) are one game back in the loss column from the Mets (87-72) and two games behind the Braves (88-71).

The Diamondbacks will be eliminated on Sunday if they lose and the Mets win. In any other scenario, the Diamondbacks would still be alive heading into Monday, although they would need to do things to claw their way into the doubleheader to get in.

“Try to win it,” Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll said of the team’s mentality entering Sunday. ‘There is one game. Give ourselves the best chance to play postseason ball. All we can do is turn the page and try to go 1-0 tomorrow. Come here, forget this and go on and fight tomorrow.’

The Diamondbacks had just one hit against starter Randy Vasquez and just one more against a trio of relievers, none of whom would be considered among the Padres’ best bullpen arms.

It was the best offense in baseball — a group that will finish with the second-most runs scored in Diamondbacks history — and it went cold again when it needed it most. It was the fourth time in the past five games that the Diamondbacks scored three points or fewer.

“Offensively, I think we’re all trying to do a little too much,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “… I know this team wants something so bad, we all do, but you can’t chase it the wrong way.”

Yet this was probably not the most surprising outcome. That was from Puk. Dating back to June 23, just over a month before he was traded to the Diamondbacks from Miami, he had made 42 appearances and given up just one point. He had been as close to automation as it was possible to get, and since the deal he had delivered by far the best two-month stretch of relief pitching in Diamondbacks history.

But he gave up Saturday to Kyle Higashioka and Brandon Lockridge, who crushed back-to-back home runs off him in the ninth inning of what had been a scoreless game. Both shot sliders into the stands in left field.

“It just wasn’t my day today,” Puk said.

Donovan Solano added a two-run homer off Diamondbacks reliever Scott McGough to lift the lead to 5-0.

Puk has been relied on heavily by Lovullo in recent weeks as he pitched in three straight games earlier this month, going five-for-seven and six-for-nine, but he rejected the idea that fatigue was to blame for his struggles on Saturday.

“I feel good,” said Puk. “It’s just one of those things. It’s baseball. That’s how things happen. I’m looking forward to getting back to work tomorrow and trying to get that win so we can get into the play-offs.”

The Diamondbacks will be all hands on deck on Sunday. Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt will start, and Lovullo said not only will all of his bullpen arms be available, but so will right-hander Zac Gallen, who did not throw a side session on Saturday, his usual day to do so.

“Tomorrow it’s all in,” Lovullo said. “It’s been all in, and we’ve got one game and we’ve got nothing to do but go out there and give it our best shot and do everything we can to win a baseball game.”

Sunday’s pitching matchup between Diamondbacks and Padres

Padres at Diamondbacks, 5:10 p.m., Cox, Ch. 34

Diamondbacks follows next against Padres LHP Martin Perez (5-5, 4.25).

At Chaseveld: The Diamondbacks have not named a starter yet, but appear likely to go with RHP Brandon Pfaadt. Manager Torey Lovullo has already said there are no plans to start RHP Ryne Nelson, leaving them with few options unless they bring back RHP Zac Gallen on short rest, although that seems unlikely. … If Nelson doesn’t pitch in relief on Saturday, he could figure prominently in Sunday’s pitching plans, perhaps up to 50 pitches. … Perez was scheduled to start Friday, but was pushed back in favor of RHP Yu Darvish. … He was acquired from the Pirates at the trade deadline and has recorded a 2.61 ERA in nine starts with his new team.